It All Starts With a Step
July 14th, 2008 | by Ed |We had a great Sunday at MCC! It was one of those Sundays when God surprises you with an extra measure of His goodness. It was as if God showed up with gifts to distribute to any who would reach out and take them. ”For Thou dost meet Him with the blessings of good things” (Psalm 21:3, NASB).
My message was from Joshua 1, and was entitled “Be Strong and Courageous.” For Joshua, it was the best of times; it was the worst of times. It was a time of unprecedented challenges and unparalleled opportunities. It was a time when Joshua would have to face his fears, leave the safety and security of his comfort zone, and move forward in faith if he was going to enter into the purpose of God for his life.
Many of you told me of how God used the message to encourage you to face your fears, move out of your comfort zone, and take that step of faith that God has been calling you to. I encourage you to take that step of faith, because it will set into motion the purpose of God and release the power of God. It all starts with a step!
But I believe that this message was for our church corporately, as well as individually. This passage in Joshua 1 is a passage that I have taught on several times before. And every time God has given me this passage to teach, it was at a significant transition point in our church. It always signaled the beginning of a new era for us, with both opportunities and challenges ahead of us.
And I believe that we are at such a juncture once again. We’re entering a time of growth and ministry expansion, a time when God has set before us an open door (actually three open doors, as I pointed out in my “20/20 Vision” series) which no man can shut. But, as a church, we’re going to have to follow God in faith and go through the doors God has opened.
I don’t know all that this means just yet; God is still unfolding it. But I know that in order to embrace what God has for us will require strength and courage to leave the security of our comfort zone and “walk out our faith.”
I feel that God is saying to us, “Everywhere you set your foot will I give you,” which I understand to mean, “Whatever you undertake to do in faith, I will bless and make successful.” It’s as if God is giving us a blank check. We just have to start walking!